I want to be there for you
by Myriane and Kerendhor
Summary: Waking up after drinking too much in a dingy old bar, Phoenix helps Edgeworth coping, one step at a time. PhoenixEdgeworh. Slash. Set after the fourth case in the first game. R&R!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I do not own characters of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Capcom does. This is my first Phoenix Wright fanfiction. This is also a slash story between Phoenix Wright and Miles Edgeworth. Don't like, don't read. You have been warned. Also rated M for mature content in later chapters, such as rape, murder, violence and language.

"The defendant is declared Not Guilty…" Confetti fell around the court. 'Finally…' thought Wright. 'He's finally free…' he thought to himself as he saw von Karma being hauled out of the courtroom by court officers. 'Will he be free from himself, though?' he asked himself as he watched Edgeworth hug himself…

qpqpqpqpqp

His painful yet hopeful smile, his carefully guarded grey eyes underneath his dark grey bangs, his whole stance was that of a wounded man trying to hide the fact that he was hurt. His heart wrenched at the sight of his childhood friend and rival so sad.

'He's the reason I became a defense attorney in the first place. He may have been the shadow of von Karma but he was mislead…'

He thought back to those days in school, his determination to become a defense attorney, his longing for his best friend when Miles disappeared from the school…

"Hey, wake up Phoenix!" A feminine voice wrenched him from his thoughts just in time to see Lotta holding up her camera.

"Ah, there you are…" Maya's voice was the one to have pierced through his bubble… He had the grace to look sheepish.

"Tighten up, everyone! You're not all on the photo…" As he felt Miles press against him to fit in the photo, his heart skipped a beat. He smiled for the sake for the sake of the photo. Had someone watched him a split second before the smile, they would have seen the sheepish look shift into one of longing and embarrassment before shifting into a smile.

qpqpqpqpqp

A few days after that, Wright was brooding, alone in his office. 'Maya left… I have had enough of being left all alone on New Year's Eve.' He sighed, took his jacket hanging from the coat rack and left his office. As he was walking towards his usual bar, all sorts of thoughts were floating around in his head. Most of them were about Edgeworth, actually… He was worried for his friend/rival. He reckoned he ought to visit him some time. But, for now, it was time to drink and forget that he was alone tonight. He entered his favorite bar with the firm intention of drinking himself under the table. That's why he liked this dingy, old place. Nobody gave enough of a shit to stop him. And the fact they had cheap but strong booze only helped…

qpqpqpqpqp

He woke up, several hours later, with a splitting headache. The light of the sun being directly into his closed eyes didn't help any… Wait a minute, in HIS bed, there never was any sunlight to bother him at whatever time he slept. So where was he? He rolled over only to encounter a warm but firm body. If this was a woman, she was definitely working out. He cracked open an eye, barely biting back the moan rising in his throat. What he saw made him wince. Pink! Everywhere! And on the bed beside him, there was Edgeworth, still breathing softly in his sleep. He checked… yep, they were both still fully clothed… phew!

'Wait… what am I doing here? I don't even remember meeting Edgeworth, only myself entering the bar to drink. OK, I must have drunk more than I thought…,' Edgeworth chose this moment, it seems, to wake up. Phoenix watched as he groaned at the sunlight spilling in his eyes.

'OK, I'm not the only one with a headache… good to know!' he thought to himself. Miles stopped moving as soon as he felt the warmth beside him. He was very still, so much so that Phoenix was sure Miles never woke up. Grey-blue eyes peered discreetly underneath dark grey lashes. Frowning a bit at the harsh sunlight in his eyes, he looked around his bedroom, trying to ascertain who was beside him.

His eyes came in contact with a familiar blue suit. He closed them again while saying: "Please tell me we didn't do anything stupid…" Phoenix chuckled.

"And here I was, hoping you'd tell me what happened…" Miles sat up too fast while saying: "WHAT?" then he fell back immediately on the bed, holding his head in pain. Phoenix barely caught him as he fell, gently lowering him to the bed, paying special care to his tender head.

"You should be more careful when you know you have a hangover." Phoenix said in a worried tone.

"You seem to have more experience than I do at being a drunkard…" Miles replied in a dry but pained tone.

"Um… yeah, I admit it, I do go there regularly…"

"Hah, knew it!... Ow, my head… if you have more experience than I do at this, then how can I make this go away?"

"Um… a few aspirins and an hour should do the trick. And a shower helps with the icky feeling you probably have right now. You want me to fetch you an aspirin and a glass of water?"

"…Yes…" came the pained reply. It pained him to be dependant of someone, especially if that someone was Phoenix Wright. But the atomic bomb in his head told him he didn't have any choice in the matter, sadly.

"Ugh, never drinking again…" Phoenix had to chuckle at that as he returned with a pill and a glass of water.

"Funny, I tell that to myself the morning after and I always do it again."

"OK, I rectify, I'm never drinking that much again… Better?"

"Yep," came the reply with a big smile. Kind of like a Butz smile, actually…

"Stop grinning the "Butz Smile", please Your cheeriness makes me slightly ill." Now that Phoenix looked carefully, he did look a bit sick.

"Do you need to go to the bathroom? I could help you…" Miles seemed to be hesitant to respond. "Maybe taking a shower or a bath would do you good…" He closed his eyes, seemed to be debating with himself then nodded with a painful expression on his face.

He felt the bed shift when Phoenix sat beside him. He then felt him sitting him up gently. Lean but strong arms encircled him to help him get up. There was a slight blush on his cheeks. 'Must have a fever. Poor Miles!' thought our clueless Phoenix.

Finally, he was up, his weight mostly supported by Wright, much to his dismay and embarrassment. His legs no longer felt like bone and muscle, they felt like jelly. Phoenix helped him sit on the closed toilet and went to prepare him a hot bath to soak in. He then searched for a towel and set it beside the bath and put the fluffy carpet for when he'd get out from the bath. He turned to face Miles.

"Um… you'll be able to take it from here?" he asked with concern. "Yes, I think I'll be OK." Miles looked faintly amused.

"In that case, just call me if you need anything." Phoenix said while scanning the bedroom, searching for his coat. He spotted it on the coat rack in the room.

"You're leaving?" Phoenix's gaze returned to Miles, taking in the abandoned expression on his face.

"Do you want me to?" Miles gulped embarrassedly at the question.

"No…" came the very quiet answer.

"OK then, I'll be in your kitchen cooking a little something for both of us. Have a nice bath!"

He closed the door behind him. The coat of his blue suit joined his other coat while he made his way to the kitchen. This was a big contrast to his own dingy kitchen. He searched a bit through the kitchen cabinets and, after a few minutes, had a chicken soup and a beef stew going nicely.

qpqpqpqpqp

Miles finished struggling with his clothes and then proceeded to put a few drops of lavender essential oil in the bath. He breathed in deeply, sighing in contentment as his favorite smell wafted through the bathroom. He carefully slid in the bathtub, enjoying the relaxing warmth. He finally settled in the tub, his ears underneath the water level, as he enjoyed listening to his heartbeat and breathing as they evened out with the inactivity of his body.

qpqpqpqpqp

A/N: Hope you like it! Oh, just wanted to mention that Miles' tastes for baths are my own, I just love soaking in a lavender-scented warm bath... Constructive reviews appreciated. Flames will be laughed at...


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: For disclaimer, see chapter 1

After approximately an hour on both parts, the were seated at Miles' kitchen table with a steaming bowl of chicken and vegetables soup and a plate of beef and vegetables stew.

"I'm surprised you can cook, Wright," he said with an amused chuckle.

"Well, with me being single, still unpaid by my clients and not living with my parents, I had to learn…" Phoenix said with a sheepish smile.

"Well, here goes nothing," Miles said as he lifted a spoonful of the warm liquid to his mouth.

"Mmm," he said, surprised at the good taste. Phoenix lifted an eyebrow as he ate, pleased, yet amused at Miles' reaction.

'Yay, a smile!'

"This is good!" He said through his mouthful. He cringed at his lack of manners. He closed his mouth, swallowed his mouthful and ducked his head, embarrassed.

Phoenix chuckled. "You don't have to in front of me, Edgeworth. It's not like I had a full course on manners. In fact, I prefer you this way, you seem more like the Edgeworth I know and love." Phoenix then realized how it sounded and they both fixed their gazes on their plates, each embarrassed in his own way. They finished their meal in an uncomfortable silence. Phoenix went to take the dishes to the sink but Miles stopped him, taking the dishes from his hands. He put them in the dishwasher and then turned to face Phoenix. He did a double take when he suddenly noticed that he was right behind him, his face now a few inches from the other's face. From this close, he was able to look deeply into Phoenix's eyes... and to utterly and completely lose himself in their depth. His brain went on strike. Miles' eyes widened as Phoenix's face inched closer to his...

qpqpqpqpqp

Phoenix let out a disgruntled groan as he banged his head on his desk, in his office, yet again. "Why did the damn phone have to ring at THAT moment? bang Why? bang Why? bang WHY? BANG Ow, I think I'll stop doing that before damaging my brain more than it already is... ow..."

qpqpqpqpqp

Miles was in a similar mood in his bed, unable to sleep. As he tossed and turned, his thoughts were spinning around in his head, never stopping a second. 'Why did Gumshoe call at THAT moment? Why did I freeze like that? Why do I have these feelings about him? Where do they come from?' And so on and so forth...

qpqpqpqpqp

A/N: R&R!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hi, everybody, sorry it's taken so long, but I've been busy! Between work, friends, RP games and family, things have been crazy! Don't own Phoenix Wright, but I do own Brandon. If you want to him or any other of the characters I created for this crazy case, you have to ask permission. Enjoy!

The next morning, both lawyers got up, bleary-eyed as their night had been long and sleepless and for one defense attorney, full of head banging, earning him quite a headache. Phoenix was contemplating getting out of his office to go purchase some tablets at the drugstore when his phone rang, startling him out of his reverie.

"Hello?"

"Uh… Mr. Wright?"

"Yes? Who is this?"

"Brandon Verdant. Do you remember me?"

"Brandon… Verdant… uh… Right! You were in my university regular courses… How have you been?"

"…"

"Brandon? Is something wrong?"

"You remember my wife, Phoenix?"

Phoenix gulped, not liking where this was headed one bit.

"… Yes."

He heard Brandon bite back a harsh sob.

"She's dead… Some bastard raped and killed her on our bed and…" A sob came through. "… the police thinks I've done it…" Brandon was now crying openly on the phone.

"WHAT??!"

Phoenix was flabbergasted. Brandon would never hurt a fly. He was one of the calmest person he ever knew.

"Do you think you could defend me? I've heard about your perfect record and about your most recent victory."

'Edgeworth… Was this the case you were called about yesterday?' He barely resisted the urge to bang his head against something as the memory replayed yet again in his mind.

"Will you help me?" Brandon's voice broke through his jumbled thoughts.

"Of course I will help you. I'm coming."

"Thank you."

He sounded really grateful. He hung up, letting Phoenix alone with his swirling thoughts.

qpqpqpqpqp

Phoenix sighed in relief as the tablet worked its little wonders on his throbbing head just as he entered the detention center. He asked for his client, wondering who would be the true murderer, this time.

"Hello Brandon. How are you?"

He winced as he saw Brandon's gaze fill with pain and sadness. The urge to bang his head came back with a vengeance.

"Er… sorry, you know I've always felt more comfortable with a foot in my mouth," he said sheepishly.

Brandon chuckled bitterly. "Yes, I do recall something to that effect."

He smiled though it was a strained smile at best.

"Aw, come on! I'm really sorry, OK? I didn't think, as usual."

"That too comes back to me rather easily." His chuckle sounded a bit happier now.

"Har! Har! And the fact that you're still teasing me after all this time too, right?"

"And the fact that you can still make me laugh in my dark moments," Brandon's face was wistful and sad.

"Oh, Brandon… I'll do what I can to make them see the truth about you. I'll make them see that you couldn't have done that. You're too peaceful, too calm for that. I know you." There was the usual sparkle of determination in Phoenix's eye that defined his character and person.

"Thank you," said Brandon quietly. "I appreciate the fact that you are willing to defend me after all I did to you. I was afraid you wouldn't want to…"

Phoenix smiled sadly. "I thought you knew me better than that. Yes, you did and said hurtful thing to me, but I got over it, with time. I understood even though it hurt."

Brandon looked ashamed of himself. "When I hear you, I realize I've harmed you worse than I thought. I'm truly sorry about what happened. If I had known, I never would have…"

Phoenix held up a hand to silence him. "Enough of that! You couldn't possibly have foreseen the consequences that night would have on both of us. I consider us even."

"Thank you. You don't know how much it means to me."

There was a few minutes of embarrassed silence between the two.

-flashback-

Both lay entwined on the bed, enjoying the afterglow. "I love you…" He whispered in Brandon's ear. His heart was thumping loudly in his chest in trepidation and in fear. He felt Brandon's body tense up brutally. This didn't bode well. He wrenched himself from his loving embrace, beginning to search for the discarded pieces of clothing strewn about Phoenix's bedroom.

"Didn't I tell you that if we fucked, it would be nothing more than that, hot mindless fucks?" Brandon turned towards him so that he could see his anger.

"Yes, but…"

"No buts! If you're stupid enough to fall for me even though I made it very clear from the start that it was only lust, This. Is. Over!" He said as he put on hastily all of his clothes. All Phoenix could do was to try not to break down in front of the person he admired so much. The door slam that echoed through his empty room broke his heart on the spot. He didn't even notice the twin rivers on his cheeks as he looked blankly at the door.

- A few months later-

He stared blankly at the crimson drops staining his bed sheets. He hadn't felt anything since that door slammed brutally in his room. Except… for… Amy. Oh God… He shouldn't have taken the car with that much alcohol in his system. The only time he remotely felt something now was when he saw those pretty crisscrossing lines on his arms. It was such a shame that he had to hide them but no one would understand. They wouldn't understand the fact that it was the only perfect thing left in his life. Ever since that night… The blade made yet another mark on his no longer flawless wrists. This one was a bit deeper than the one before that, making him feel more alive. He craved that feeling so much that he began slashing deeper until he was starting to get dizzy. Black slowly edged in the corners of his vision. He felt himself falling backwards in slow motion. When his body hit the bed, he felt as if there was a whole world inside of him and it was dying. It filled him with sorrow. He felt terribly sad. Finally. How ironic that he needed to be dying to feel something… Just as he was losing consciousness, he heard a knock on his door and it being opened. He never thanked God enough for making his neighbour so invading of his personal space at that moment. He just had the time to hear him scream frantically his name before being engulfed completely by darkness…

- End flashback-

"We should get back to the case," Brandon's voice cut through his morbid thoughts.

"Yes, we should."

A/N: Me again! So... Loved it, hated it? I want to know! R&R!


End file.
